Tuesday 9th July 2024
9:30am - 3:00pm
Virtual Conference
The Student Mental Health Implementation Toolkit will offer the latest insights and research into how to build your university’s impact in improving outcomes for students facing mental health risks.
You will examine the next steps in coordinating joined-up services, designing a holistic mentally healthy environment and explore how to deliver successful interventions across the student lifecycle.
This ‘toolkit’ conference will also provide you with fresh ideas for your team on managing student anxiety, working with academics, supporting disclosure and auditing your NHS partnerships.
Objectives
Gain updates on the work of the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Task Force and what it means for improved service delivery
Assess how to review and optimise partnerships with external partners to support successful collaboration
Evaluate key learning points from the University Mental Health Charter and how your institution can drive continuous improvement
Discover approaches to working with academics and embedding mental health practice into the learning environment
Explore new research and ideas on delivering impactful mental health interventions
Warning: The following agenda contains references to suicide and mental health.
If you need help please contact 0800 068 41 41 for Hopeline247 or Samaritans on 116 123.
Headline Speakers
Professor Edward Peck
Student Support Champion
Chair, Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Task Force
Yeme Onoabhagbe
Interim CEO
Student Minds
Ashley Cave
Mental Health Advisor
University of Sunderland
Dr Mark Shanahan
Co-Founder
The LEARN Network
Agenda
9:30 am
Chair’s Welcome Address
Jane Harris
Chair, Mental Wellbeing in Higher Education Expert Group (MWBHE)
Co-Director of Student Welfare and Support Services and Head of Counselling, University of Oxford (CONFIRMED)
9:40 am
5 Action Points for Successful Implementation: University Mental Health Charter Framework
Building on insights from hundred of conversations, submissions and practice reviews, this session will examine what is working in developing an impactful whole-university approach as part of the University Mental Health Charter Framework. The session will explore practical steps on:
Leadership, policy development and strategic direction
The design and delivery of external partnerships and pathways
Transitions across the student lifecycle and identifying risk
Successful interventions and the route to a long-term mentally healthy environment
Yeme Onoabhagbe
Interim CEO
Student Minds (CONFIRMED)
10:10 am
How Do We Really Build a Joined-Up Approach to Suicide Prevention?
What are the fundamentals of joined-up delivery in suicide prevention?
How do universities and mental health services collaborate and what needs to be improved?
How do we embed learnings from the National Review of Higher Education Student Suicide?
Professor Sir Louis Appleby
Chair
National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group (invited)
10:30 am
Break
10:50 am
A Duty of Care? Next Steps for Improving Mental Health Safeguarding for all Students
Examining the existing statutory expectations on universities and exploring calls for a duty of care in higher education
Driving improvements in access and the quality of clinical support
Embedding the Suicide Safer Universities Framework and examining what practical adoption looks like across the sector
Can the higher education sector be bolder on standards set in meeting the general duty of care?
Dr Mark Shanahan
Co-Founder
The LEARN Network (CONFIRMED)
Emily Formby KC
39 Essex Chambers (invited)
Jill Stevenson
Chair
Association of Managers of Student Services In Higher Education (AMOSSHE) (invited)
Liz Kearton
Deputy Director of Student Support (Student Mental Health)
University of Bath (invited)
11:30 am
A Plan for Improvement – An Update from the Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Task Force
Planning for better identification for students at risk
Designing a ‘student commitment’ on student-facing policies, procedures and communication
Supporting sector-wide baselines and developing a roadmap for targeted improvement
Approaches to monitoring and demonstrating progress on student mental health outcomes in higher education
Professor Edward Peck
Student Support Champion
Chair, Higher Education Mental Health Implementation Task Force (CONFIRMED)
12:00 pm
Break
12:40 pm
Auditing the Effectiveness of University – NHS Partnership on Mental Health
How do we review partnership effectiveness?
What are the common barriers to successful collaboration?
Developing a coordinated approach to assessing and communicating risk
Action points for evaluating the quality and resilience of your partnerships across local NHS, social care and third sector services
Mark Ewins
Head of Mental Health
NHS England (invited)
1:00 pm
Acting on Anxiety: How Do We Know? How Do We Intervene?
Supporting students to understand and manage anxiety
When can anxiety become an increased mental health risk?
How can university professionals and support teams identify and intervene for students suffering with anxiety?
Tools and approaches for preventing and reducing anxiety
Ashley Cave
Mental Health Advisor
University of Sunderland (CONFIRMED)
1:20 pm
Unlocking the Barriers to Student Disclosure
Supporting the decision-making process for students on disclosing mental health conditions to a university
Challenging concerns over academic progress or success when disclosing a condition
Overcoming the risk of students feeling their mental health difficulties wouldn’t reach the threshold for help
Examining why certain cohorts of students don’t ask for help or use support services at all
How do processes and approaches to student engagement need to change to support a more inclusive and open approach to disclosure?
Dr Rachel Spacey
Policy and Engagement Officer
University Mental Health Advisors Network (CONFIRMED)
1:40 pm
Break
2:00 pm
Mental Health Exercise: How Can We Teach Students Evidence-Led Wellbeing Approaches?
Examining the outcomes from the University of Bristol’s ‘Science of Happiness Course’, this session will explore how universities can teach and embed wellbeing practices into students’ daily lives. The session will offer insights on:
Teaching evidence-led habits that can enhance wellbeing for students
The practical actions students took to improve mental health as part of the course
Why mental health exercise has to be a sustained, long-term activity
The power of helping and engaging with others in supporting real mental health boosts
Professor Bruce Hood
Professor of Developmental Psychology in Society
University of Bristol (invited)
2:30 pm
On the Front Line: How Do We Support Academic Colleagues on Managing Mental Risks of Students?
How do we support a real collaborative approach to mental health with academics?
Reviewing what a mentally healthy environment looks like on course delivery and the wider learning environment
What can we expect from academics and how do we give them the tools to be change makers on mental health?
Dr. Adam Welstead
Head of Student Wellbeing
University of Cambridge (invited)
Conference Close
3:00 pm
* Programme subject to change
Audience
This conference is designed for all those engaged in mental health provision across the higher education sector. Those in attendance will include:
Heads of Student Mental Health
Student Support & Engagement Managers
Mental Health Advisors
Counsellors
Directors of Student Services
Directors of Student Support
Heads of Student Wellbeing
Heads of Student Life
Heads of Student Experience
Pricing
Public Sector
£345 + VAT
Attendance to Student Mental Health 2024
Private Sector
£395 + VAT
Attendance to Student Mental Health 2024
HE Professional
£395 + VAT
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